Red scorpionfish

Photo: luismartinezartola · CC BY-NC

The largest scorpionfish in the Mediterranean, Scorpaena scrofa is a sit-and-wait predator that relies on extraordinary camouflage. It rests motionless on rocky substrate for hours, resembling encrusted rock until an unwary fish or shrimp approaches. The venomous dorsal spines are a passive defence; the fish itself is largely indifferent to divers, making prolonged observation easy — and close approach dangerous.